Another Side to Snape
by morbid penguin
Summary: What happens when a fifth year sparks Snape's interests? Starring Snape and a creation of my own, featuring most characters. NEW CHAPTERS ADDED!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Harry Potter or any characters, places, objects, spells, etc. associated with it, nor do I profit from the use of them. But Marya Nadine is my character, and if you take her from me, DOOM ON YOU!

"Another Side to Snape"

Chapter 1

Professor Snape strode into the classroom, uncharacteristically early and very angry. He was going to face Potter for the first time since he had caught him looking into his Pensieve. Potter was lucky he hadn't been murdered for what he'd seen. Snape tried to put the thought from his head. As he looked around at the class, he spotted Potter scribbling with his quill.

"Ah, Mr. Potter. Would you like to bring that parchment up to me?" he asked evilly. Potter looked at Weasley and slowly stood, then made his way to the front of the class.

"Sorry, Professor," he muttered, then returned to his seat.

"Indeed," mocked Snape. "Malfoy, would you care to come here and read this note aloud? I seem to have forgotten my glasses."

Malfoy, knowing full well that Snape didn't need his glasses to read the note, jumped up.

"Well, sir, it looks as though Potter started the note with, 'D'you think Snape is sick?' and then Weasley wrote, 'I hope so. Maybe he's come down with the mumps.' and then Potter wrote..." he paused, making a show of squinting at the paper. "Then Potter wrote, ' Promise you won't tell anyone I fancy Hermudblood?'" he lied.

"That's enough, Draco, thank you." said Snape, snatching the paper from his hand and muttering a spell which incinerated it. "Today we will be attempting to create a Pacideer Potion, named after the infamous Bartok Pacideer. The potion that he created is intended to turn objects any color you desire, but I doubt most of you will get very far..."

Marya Nadine looked up at Professor Snape. She sometimes daydreamed that he would profess his never-ending love to her, but she knew that would never happen. Vaguely aware that Draco had called Snape's attention, Marya molested Snape with her eyes. He ran his fingers through his greasy black hair as he explained to Malfoy the difference between making a black Pacideer Potion and a grey one. Marya let a small sigh escape her lips. She loved him, in every way, and it made her miserable to know that their love would never be.

"_Psst_," whispered the girl next to her, "did you hear Malfoy call Granger a mudblood? And Snape didn't even say anything! Can you believe it? I can't. What d'you think will happen if she tells? D'you think Snape will get in trouble or just Malfoy? Isn't Draco just adorable? I wish he liked me like he likes you... you do know he likes you, don't you? I heard he's going to ask you out. D'you think he will? What'll you say? Will you-"

The girl didn't get to finish her question, because Marya pointed her wand at her and whispered an incantation that turned the girl's mouth into a giant zipper, which was stuck shut.

"Ms. Djak, what _have _you done to Ms. Blair?" intoned Snape as he sighed and approached their table.

"_Aberos Demezzos_," he muttered, and Pearl Blair's mouth returned to normal.

"She did that! Yell at her! Suspend her! Give her detention! Do some-" she yelled, but was cut off when Snape raised his hand to quiet her.

"How long have you been teaching here at Hogwarts, Ms. Blair?" he asked.

"I haven't. I'm only a fifth year," she replied, hanging her head.

"Then I think it's safe to say that I know what I'm talking about and that you can rest assured that I will not disregard my duties as a Professor every time a teeny injustice befalls you, young lady. Now I don't want to hear another word from you the rest of this class. Is that understood?"

The girl nodded, her head still hung.

"Ms. Djak, you shall stay after class." stated Snape, and he headed towards the front of the classroom. "Now, students, if you would all pass up your homework scrolls, I will collect them and you may be on your way."

As the rest of the class shuffled around to retrieve their scrolls from their knapsacks, Marya remained still.

"No homework, Ms. Djak?" he asked with mock surprise. She replied with a mere shake of her head.

"You haven't had your homework for ages," he reprimanded. "I want to see you after class."

"You're already keeping me after class," she said.

"You can stay in my office all day, if you like," he threatened, and then began collecting homework.

"I would," she whispered, to softly for anyone to hear, "I really truly would."

Snape looked down at the fifth year girl sitting in his office. He was surprised with himself; he had never before been so outwardly disappointed in a Slytherin.

"Marya, you are one of my brightest students. As such, I expect a lot more effort from you than what you've been displaying lately. You have not handed in any homework in the past three weeks. It is completely unacceptable. Why do you ignore Potions, Ms. Djak? I thought you liked my class."

"I do...it's my favorite." she replied.

"Then why do you insist on ignoring your work? Perhaps it's me that you don't like." Snape continued.

"No...you're my favorite teacher." she answered.

"Then why, Marya? Is there no explanation?" he asked.

Marya didn't answer. In truth, she had not been doing _any_ homework lately...not for any of her classes. How could she, with all these thoughts of Snape dancing through her head? He haunted her, and she wanted only to be with him. But she could never tell him that. Never.

"A response might be nice, Ms. Djak."

"I don't know, sir." she murmured.

"Well, you had better figure it out, Ms. Djak. In the meantime, I must think of a suitable punishment for you. Detention, I think. Every night this week."

"No! I mean, how am I to make up any homework if I have detention?" she argued.

"That's precisely my point...during the detention I shall help you to complete your homework. But you may also help me to organize my Supply Cabinet." he said with a tone of finality.

"Starting tonight?"

"Yes. Now, about that stunt you pulled in class today, I highly -" Snape was cut off by screams that were coming towards his classroom. Pearl Blair ran into the room, red in the face.

"Sir, my sister, Alina, she- eew... blisters all over her...Malfoy...Help!" she gasped.

"Excuse me, Ms. Djak." Snape called on his way out the door.

Marya sat and waited. It had been several minutes and Snape had not returned. She got up and began pacing the classroom.

"Do sit _down_, Ms. Djak!" Snape said as he reentered the room. Daegana was so startled that she fell face-first into Snape's Pensieve. She saw all the things that Harry Potter had seen the previous day; Harry's father, Lupin and Black, and - worst of all - the bit with Snape suspended upside down in the air.

Before she knew what was happening, Snape had pulled her back into his office.

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Harry Potter or any characters, places, objects, spells, etc. associated with it, nor do I profit from the use of them. But Marya Nadine is my character, and if you take her from me, DOOM ON YOU!

"Another Side to Snape"

Chapter 2

Snape paced in his office as Marya sat there, shocked.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Ms. Djak?" he asked angrily.

Marya looked up at him, as if just noticing his presence. Snape saw those green eyes - the ones that he had so often observed gazing piercingly and intently at anyone in their vicinity, as if preying on their souls - brimming with tears.

"I'm sorry," she breathed, barely audible. Her eyes turned to the floor. For the first time in his life, Severus Snape found his heart breaking. It was all very clear to him now...the missing homework, the poor test scores, and the unending claims that he was still her favorite teacher. He couldn't believe that he hadn't seen it before; she loved him.

"Ms. Djak-" he began, but found the title cold and all too proper. "Marya," he amended, "do not cry. It isn't like you."

Marya looked up at him again, and this time the eyes were bright.

"Aren't you angry?" she asked, the hurt still in her voice.

"No...why are you so upset?" he asked.

"What do you mean, 'why are you so upset?' After what I've seen, why _wouldn't _I be upset?" she replied.

"So then, why don't you tell me the reason behind your grades diminishing?" asked Snape with a glitter in his malicious eyes. Marya could tell he already knew.

"It's clearly...you _obviously_...do I really have to say it?" she stammered. Snape walked around the back of the chair Marya was sitting in and put his hands on her shoulders. He leaned in put his mouth to her ear.

"I would like to hear it," whispered Snape. His breath was hot in Marya's ear; hot enough to make her melt. Marya's mouth fell open and she inhaled sharply. Simultaneously she felt goose bumps rising all over her body. She turned to look into his eyes, and was surprised further when she found not his eyes but his mouth.

He kissed her forehead, putting a hand on either side of her head and guiding her to stand and face him. She found she could not speak as she stared up into his eyes, as his lips met hers and they stood there together, each of them cradling the other in his or her arms.

Suddenly, Snape pulled away. He straightened his robes and brushed them off.

"I apologize. I have no idea what came over me," he said, uncharacteristically hurriedly. "You may go on to dinner," he offered, returning to his monotonous demeanor. He began to walk towards the dining hall. Marya caught a few strains of what Snape muttered to himself as he walked, like, "Honestly, kissing a student!" and "...don't know how I could _be _so irres_pon_sible."

As for Marya, she trudged up to the Great Hall, experiencing a mixture of confusion and excitement. What had just happened? Would it ever happen again? All she could do was to hope.

Later on, Marya Nadine found herself sitting next to Draco Malfoy at dinner. He jabbered on and on about how rich his father was and how _popular _he himself was. But Marya could only take so much before she got up and walked over to the Gryffindor table, where Ron and his brothers, Fred and George, were having an argument as Hermione, Harry and Neville watched.

"Excuse me," said Marya, briefly halting the spat.

"Oh, hello, Marya!" greeted Hermione. Marya was the only Slytherin any Gryffindor would associate themselves with.

"Hello, Hermione. Could I borrow Fred and George for a moment?" asked Marya.

"Sure," answered Fred and George in unison, and they rose to follow her to the end of the table where there were less students and more privacy. Fred and George were Marya's best friends, with whom she shared all her secrets and to whom she went for advice.

Here she told Fred and George what had happened; well, _almost_. She told them that a certain someone whom she had been dreaming of had kissed her, and that he had deemed it inappropriate, and that it wasn't like him. They both looked at her, listened to how earnest she sounded, watched how her eyes glazed over when she mentioned this guy. Knowing her and knowing who made her heart beat, they both said in unison:

"Snape."

Marya just looked at them, mouth agape.

"How did you -"

"Well, it wasn't very hard..." began Fred.

"...especially since you're always talking about him..." continued George.

"...and when you said that this guy was someone you really liked..." continued Fred.

"...who else could it be but Snape?" they concluded together.

"You two never cease to amaze me. So, you're not angry?" asked Marya.

"Well, no. This is a first, y'know," said George.

"And kissing a teacher? Even someone like Snape couldn't help but give his lover good grades," said Fred.

"It's cheating at its best," said George.

"It's genius," they said in unison.

"Even we couldn't have come up with it..." said Fred.

"...let alone have pulled it off." they both finished.

Marya just shook her head and said goodnight to the twins as the students all exited the Great Hall and headed towards their dormitories.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Harry Potter or any characters, places, objects, spells, etc. associated with it, nor do I profit from the use of them. But Marya Nadine is my character, and if you take her from me, DOOM ON YOU!

"Another Side to Snape"

Chapter 3

Marya was outside of the door to the Slytherin common room when she remembered that she was supposed to have detention in Snape's office. She turned and ran.

It was a good thing she spent so much time with Fred and George; the secret passages she knew would save her at least ten minutes in getting there. Marya burst out from behind a tapestry and turned left; she ran down a flight of stairs and ducked behind a painting. She ran down a passageway, then down three steps and around a corner and...WHAM.

Marya had run right into Professor Snape. He put his arms around her to steady her, then wrapped them around her tighter for an embrace.

"I was worried when you failed to show up for detention," murmured Snape into Marya's hair. Marya glanced at her watch. Detention was set for nine o'clock; it was five past nine.

"I'm sorry, I'm not _that _late, y'know," she said, pressing her face into his chest. "I had forgotten."

"Come along then, Ms. Djak. You have a detention scheduled, do not forget."

With that, Snape let go of Marya and turned back down the corridor from which he had come. Down another corridor to the left they walked and ended up directly in front of Snape's dungeon office. The door was locked. Snape took out a grim-looking key, slid it into the lock, and pushed the door open.

"After you, Ms. Djak," he said.

Marya walked into the office. Snape followed, locking the door behind him and whispering, "_tacitus._" A blue orb shot out of the end of his wand. It expanded until it was the size of the room, enclosing it, and seemed to disappear into the walls.

"Now that we have some privacy," said Snape, "I would like to discuss what happened this afternoon." Marya looked down at her feet. Snape took the opportunity to observe the young woman standing before him. At sixteen years old, she stood about five feet and ten inches. Thick yet silky black hair fell to her waist, offsetting her fair, pale skin. Though he couldn't see them, he knew those emerald eyes of hers were burning the way the icy waters of the lake burned in winter. She held her robes over her right shoulder. The Slytherin tie around her neck had been loosened, and the top two buttons of her white shirt had been undone. The shirt was folded up just below each elbow, showing a bit of her graceful yet muscular forearms. It had been untucked from her black slacks, which hung down to the floor, flowing so that only the rounded tips of her black leather knee-high boots. Where her white shirt clung to her tight stomach, Snape could make out something he had never before been aware of; a black crescent moon tattooed around her navel. Just as he was wondering whether she had done it herself, she looked up. He looked at her right ear, which - besides the emerald stud at the bottom of her earlobe - featured no less than twelve small silver loop earrings that wound all the way up her ear. The left ear had only a matching emerald stud at the bottom of the earlobe. At first glance she probably looked like a problem child. But anyone who knew her knew that she was only cruel to those who were cruel. Otherwise she was a generally amiable sort of girl.

"Well?" she asked, as though she expected a lecture.

"I want you to know that what happened was unplanned, though long awaited, and thoroughly inappropriate. Professors are not encouraged to run about kissing students. However, as the founders of this school anticipated such an occurrence and laid down rules accordingly. While in the wizarding world sixteen is still the legal age of consent (excepting of course children with no less than two muggle parents), it is still frowned upon for students and teachers to interact in such a way. However, school rules say that if a student and a professor are _engaged_, no one should treat their relationship any differently than any other student couple's.

"What I'm trying to say, Marya, is that, should you be serious in your passion towards me, we could further our relationship and not have to sneak around in empty classrooms surrounded by sound-proof bubbles." Snape concluded.

"Do you mean...are you suggesting you should ask me to marry you?" Marya asked.

"Precisely," said Snape, his eyes shining and his lips barely moving.

"Oh, Professor, I -" Marya began, but Snape interrupted.

"Please, Marya, I think 'Severus' would be much more appropriate," he said.

"Well then, Severus, I...well of course I would love...I mean, I love you," Marya said, earnestly.

"In that case, then..." Severus reached into the folds of his robe and brought out a box that looked to be made of bone. He didn't kneel down (of which Marya was grateful). Instead, he took her hand and stood right in front of her, not six inches away. He looked down into her eyes, and she looked up into his.

Opening the box, Severus whispered, "Will you marry me?" Marya wasted no time in wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him so passionately that she completely forgot to answer him.

"Should I take that as a yes?" he asked. Marya blushed.

"Yes," she murmured, kissing him again. He took her hand and slid a ring onto her finger. The ring was cool to the touch, and when Marya finally looked down at it, it proved be the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

It was made of silver, and it had been forged in the shaped of a serpent, winding around her finger. At the front, the serpent's mouth was open and its fangs held into place a glorious emerald.

"Oh," she breathed, and Severus smiled a rare smile.

"I'm glad you like it," he said, and again they kissed.

Severus conjured a sofa on which they both sat, talking as neither had been able to talk to another before. Marya had mentioned being a bit cold (it _was _January and they _were _in a dungeon) and so Severus had made a potion which looked like bubbling water but tasted like hot chocolate. He also conjured a fire.

"Why did your mother name you 'Severus?'" asked Marya.

"You'd have to ask her; she didn't live long enough to tell me," said Severus.

"I'm sorry," murmured Marya.

"Not at all. Why 'Marya Nadine?'"

"It's Slavic. It means 'bitter hope.' What with how Voldemort was rampaging when I was born, they didn't expect to live long, or for me to survive. I suppose it was a fitting name." she replied.

As she finished speaking, they heard the great clock in the entrance hall strike midnight.

"We had better turn in," said Snape, and, upon witnessing the hopeful look on Marya's face, he continued, "each to our respective rooms...for tonight, at least. I must inform the Headmaster of our engagement and see what he has to say. I shall accompany you back to the common room."

And with that, he led her to the dormitories where they said their "goodnights" and each turned in for the night.


End file.
